• Statistician, agri-tech applications, ecology and conservation

• ‘Research active’

• I take teaching seriously, but like it too

• MSc stats module & others, leader Data Science MSc

• Fun: motorcycling, ‘twitching’ (bird watching), raising sheep

twitter @edharris9000

• (2 big ideas) learning styles concept

• (5 things that work) a bag of tricks

• (2 things to avoid) pitfalls

Big idea # 1 Dunn 1984 “learning styles” exist

Big idea # 1 Dunn 1984 “learning styles” exist

• individual students differ

• different teaching methods

• the optimal teaching method may differ between students

• is it therefore possible some teaching methods advantage some students relative to others?

Big idea # 2 Moskal et al. 2013 “blended learning”

Blended learning is a dangerous idea in that it challenges the status quo, maintaining the integrity of the traditional academy while simultaneously encouraging the adoption of platforms such as online learning, mobile technologies and resources that exist in the cloud

Trick # 1 Communication
(I use Slack, Moodle forum, email, etc.)

Must be sustainable, be consistent, make it easy for yourself

Trick # 2 Feedback (multiple modes, don’t skimp)

Must be sustainable, be consistent, make it easy for yourself

(also, consructive alignment e.g. Biggs 1996)

Trick # 3 Formative assessment
(small tasks are especially good)

Build it up over time, see what works

Trick # 3 Formative assessment

Build it up over time, see what works

Trick # 4 Curate a variety of resources

Quality not quantity, organisation, be consistent

Trick # 5 Facilitate peer learning and interaction

Boud et al 1999

Peer learning approaches have been promoted to foster certain types or aspects of lifelong learning skills which are not as readily pursued by other means…

• learning outcomes related to collaboration, and becoming a member of a learning community

• critical enquiry and reflection

• communication skills

• learning to learn

Trick # 5 Facilitate peer learning and time to think

Don’t treat it as a one-time gimmick, make time for it formally

Short tasks:

– write you own quiz question, solve your neighbor’s quiz question, rewrite Ed’s quiz question but make it funny

Longer tasks:

– homework groups, breakout rooms

Pitfall # 1 Creepy white van

Pitfall # 2 Forgetting kindness

(optional, of course)

Biggs, J., 1996. Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. High Educ 32, 347-364.

Boud, D., Cohen, R., Sampson, J., 1999. Peer Learning and Assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 24, 413-426.

Dunn, R., 1984. Learning style: State of the science. Theory Into Practice 23, 10-19.

Moskal, P., Dziuban, C., Hartman, J., 2013. Blended learning: A dangerous idea? The Internet and Higher Education, Blended Learning in Higher Education: Policy and Implementation Issues 18, 15-23.